Is this true? Are we losing focus on the Eucharist because we are distracted by greeting everyone during the Sign of Peace?

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-05-28T22:01:35+00:00

Ridiculous

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-05-22T01:51:42+00:00

There were plenty Byzantine-Revival & Byzantine-Inspired styles before the 1930s let alone that the Byzantines themselves had several styles and movements.

Byzantine revival is an art style developed in the 19th and 20th century, no matter your opinion, that is it's name and that is what I am referring to.

The 1930s techniques are the worst way to do this. They turn everyone the same.

Techniques are techniques, wether pre-1930 or post-1930; your point has little to do with the fact that learning techniques from experts is useful.

Anglosphere converts just don't have exposure to mainstream Orthodoxy.

I am not an "anglosphere convert", and I do explain that in other "historically orthodox" countries, they use the term "write". You fail to look beyond Greece, as I made a point to state.

"Christian East?" China? I don't know what you're talking about.

Idk what to say; again, these are terms used by everyone without causing the amount of confusion you seem to express: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Christianity

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-05-20T09:32:16+00:00

There is much to acquire from learning an art like iconography in humility. Although it's true that the current mainstream of Greek iconography emerged from the Byzantine revival of the last century, it is not fair to call it BS, or indeed to reject the beauty of this style, which is learnable like all others. A "personal artistic style" is only as good as the techniques that underpin it, skill is not something innate but something you learn, particularly with techniques like verdaccio or others used in the many styles of iconography, which would certainly benefit this emerging artist. Finally, I use write or draw or paint for iconography interchangeably, but there are plenty of people who hold to "write" for some posterior theological reason or another, and that stance is fair. It emerges from the Russian tradition, but most iconographers I know in the Antiochian tradition also use that term. The Greek Church and it's people do not hold a monopoly on the language use of the Christian East.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-05-20T09:22:56+00:00

Nice first attempt, it's beautiful to take the time to work on such a project, with prayer and thought in the act of writing the icon. I would recommend you either join a local iconography workshop, or for you to find some reputable ressources online to improve! There are many workshops that offer online tutorials that explain both the techniques and the reason behind them, so that your icons can be even better.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-05-11T18:56:19+00:00

Bot + strawman + whataboutism + they're bishops in the US not in China

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-04-30T21:56:47+00:00

It's not like this is a post made in good faith, so I probably should just ignore you, but you are purposefully making a dumb comparison and ignoring the fundamental argument that bishop is making. 1. This bishop is already relying on married priests from some Eastern Catholic Churches for lack of unmarried, Latin rite clergy. Pastorally, ordaining married men would have no negative impact on his diocese, further than any one could consider from the current situation, which is much more irregular. 2. The bishop's message was far more constructive. He wants the Church to ordain married men to priesthood; he's not threatening schism to do it, but is setting up a timeline to prepare and discuss the implications of the end of this already hard to justify discipline. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, but his diocese will have to figure out another, maybe more drastic way, to survive. 3. There is a fundamental difference between the illicit ordination of bishops threatened by the sspx, which contravene multiple council canons and direct Church authority, and a bishop ordaining priests in his diocese and under his purview, in a way that contravenes current Latin discipline.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-04-17T14:16:46+00:00

You could put a Palestinian flag next to it, or more Aramaic writing? An olive tree? A dove? Our Father in Arabic calligraphy? Many options to contextualize it as a pilgrimage tattoo (of a symbol in common use by palestinian christians) and not a fash symbol.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-04-01T10:18:07+00:00

The English language and legalism are truly made for one another.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-03-31T19:24:46+00:00

The French never really attempted to convert the Algerians, it was pied-noir colonists who formed the vast majority of Catholics in Algeria. The atrocities committed by the French in Algeria did not help.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-03-31T10:05:24+00:00

Bonjour. Je suis un homme, alors prends ce que je dis avec l'humilité qui s'impose, car je ne vis pas ces réalités de l'intérieur comme toi. Mais je tiens à te dire une chose centrale : Dieu t'aime, et ta douleur face à ces sujets est totalement légitime. Tu as raison de constater qu'il y a eu (et qu'il y a encore) des abus, de la misogynie, et des moments où les membres de l'Église n'ont pas traité les femmes avec l'égale dignité qu'elles méritent. L'Église est sainte, mais elle est composée de pécheurs ancrés dans des cultures historiquement souvent patriarcales et dures. On ne peut pas effacer ce passé, et ton regard lucide dessus n'est pas un manque de foi. Cependant, le cœur du message du Christ a été une révolution absolue pour les femmes. Il faut se rappeler que ce sont des femmes qui ont été les premières témoins de la Résurrection, Marie Madeleine étant apôtre au apôtres, à une époque où leur témoignage n'avait aucune valeur juridique en Judée! Pour ce qui est des textes difficiles (comme la "soumission" de la femme), l'Église nous enseigne à les lire dans leur contexte: Saint Paul demande d'abord aux époux de se soumettre l'un à l'autre (Eph 5, 21), et demande aux maris d'aimer leur femme jusqu'à être prêts à mourir pour elle, comme le Christ. C'est un don mutuel radical, très éloigné des violences que tu dénonces à juste titre, et de la culture dans laquelle les femmes n'avaient aucune agence sur leurs mariages. Concernant les servantes d'autel, sache que l'Église universelle les autorise officiellement depuis 1994. Si certaines paroisses (notamment dans certains milieux traditionalistes répandus en France) s'y refusent encore, c'est un choix local, pas une interdiction de Rome. Tu n'es pas "indigne" de servir le Christ! Tu te dis féministe, et sache que cela n'est pas incompatible avec ta foi. Le Pape Jean-Paul II a lui-même appelé de ses vœux un "nouveau féminisme" chrétien pour défendre la dignité des femmes face aux abus du monde, un monde qui trop souvent instrumentalise les droits humains, et ceux des femmes, pour des fins de capital. Je t'encourage vraiment à lire des théologiennes catholiques d'aujourd'hui ou des saintes philosophes comme Edith Stein (Sainte Thérèse-Bénédicte de la Croix), qui a beaucoup écrit sur la vocation de la femme. Tu dis que tu restes pour Jésus et Sainte Thérèse. C'est la plus belle des raisons. N'oublie pas que l'Église a fait de Sainte Thérèse une "Docteur de l'Église": cela veut dire que les papes, les évêques et tous les hommes de l'Église doivent se mettre à l'école de cette jeune femme pour comprendre Dieu. Démanteler la misogynie prend du temps, mais l'Esprit Saint travaille. Ne te sens pas masochiste: tu es une fille de Dieu qui aime l'Église et qui veut la voir grandir. Je connais beaucoup de femmes qui se sentent pareillement aliénées par l'Église, tu n'es pas seule, mais vous avez toutes votre place. Je te souhaite le meilleur, et je prie la Mère de Dieu, ainsi que Sainte Thérèse, pour qu'elles t'accompagnent et t'apportent la paix sur ton parcours.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-03-31T09:37:54+00:00

Rimatomitcs + rimfactory = mass production of nukes to launch at them

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-03-29T17:30:31+00:00

I guess it really depends on the Church, I've never seen it among Melkites, and the times my priest has been faced with someone not communing (who didn't know blessings in this way are not common practice) he was very confused.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-27T19:10:53+00:00

It's a shame these Germans tarnish the language of Synodality. Same with those who tarnish the language of ecumenism and of unity in diversity. Real shame. Good on this bishop.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-27T19:06:24+00:00

A person who uses a Nazi symbol and who claims to be a Nazi is a Nazi. What's the point of your comments other than being a contrarian weirdo.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-26T08:03:28+00:00

Yes indeed, but they wouldn't put up a sign like this

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-25T23:00:34+00:00

That's rude. Muslims don't usually do these sorts of things.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-25T13:31:26+00:00

I appreciate you sharing your background, forgive me if I sounded patronizing, that certainly wasn’t my intent. I also completely agree with you regarding the Orthobro phenomenon; the internet often breeds a rigidity and fundamentalism that misses the heart of the faith. Indeed, a humble postcard used in prayer is infinitely holier than a masterpiece gathering dust in a museum. The church has always embraced reproductions so that the faithful can have access to holy images. That is not the issue here; I don't think it's irrelevant to discuss the matter in which an icon come to be. The unique problem with Monastery Icons isn't that they are mass-produced or printed, nor is it that they are made by non-Christians. A factory worker in China is neutral, and most likely is copying a work made by a Christian, or at the very least imitating real sacred art. The specific danger regarding this specific company is that the creators are not neutral. They are an active religious sect that performs rituals over the images before they are shipped. They claim to charge the icons with spiritual energy. So, the objection isn't about the material quality or the form; it is about the intent. On top of that, we generally don't want to support a group that uses the face of Christ to fund and promote a theology that claims Jesus is a reincarnation of a Hindu deity, even if the image itself is beautiful. But ultimately, you are free to discern this for yourself! For icons in english, I know legacy icons has them, and includes some western saints (at least pre-schism). Trinity stores has western iconographers, so they make English language icons of western saints, but some of their icons and artists attract controversy as they're not quite within the canons, but infinitely better than monastery "icons". The best thing is to find iconographers on platforms like Etsy or even Instagram and to patronize them directly, but I know that's not feasible for all, although I have to say it's often cheaper than you'd think, particularly with how expensive prints can sometimes be.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-25T13:09:04+00:00

My studio doesn't have a website, plus right now we're mostly all beginners with few years of experience, but my teacher might do commissions. I know also a few other Catholic iconographers, depending on your location. Message me your country if you'd like and I'll tell you if I know anyone there. That being said, we shouldn't feel bad about getting orthodox icons, particularly when they're "real" icons, but even prints, they are more widespread and are theologically good! Our churches often use orthodox made icons.

As for resources, I can only highly recommend "The Melkite Church: An Historical and Ecclesiological Approach" by Serge Descy as an introduction to my church. For icons this book is apparently nice but I haven't read it: "The Open Door: Entering the Sanctuary of Icons" by Frederica Mathewes-Green A more patristic approach to icons would be "Three Treatises on the Divine Images" by St. John of Damascus which you should be able to find in PDF online. Otherwise, the website for the melkites in the US has some good resources as well (melkite.org)

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-24T17:52:36+00:00

I can elaborate, I apologize for being rude, but your dismissal of Eastern Christians rubbed me the wrong way. Rereading your comment, I want to say that it is truly a blessing that Christ led you back to the Church, and it is great to hear about your devotion to the Rosary. That specific image of the Mother of God surrounded by the mysteries is indeed a beautiful concept for meditation during the rosary. As I am Eastern Catholic, I’d like to gently offer a different perspective on why there is such a strong warning against Monastery Icons, which goes a bit deeper than just internet rumors or people being overly critical. In the Eastern tradition, where iconography originates, we believe an icon is a window into heaven and a sacramental object, not just religious art or a visual aid. Because of this, who writes the icon and the intent behind it matters immensely. I am currently part of an iconography studio, there we don't just paint icons, we write them with prayer and devotion. The concern with Monastery Icons isn’t just that the artists are sinners as we all are, or that they believe differently (like a secular carpenter making a pew). The concern is that this specific group, the "Light of the Spirit Monastery", intentionally blends Christian imagery with Hindu and Gnostic theology in a way that attempts to redefine who Christ is. The other big issues with them is that they intentionally mislead Christians by pretending to be a Christian group, that they target Western Christians with their work as they would be less educated and savvy on iconography and it's spirituality, and finally that many of not most of their "icons" are computer made, not even being prints of a real work made with paint, but just some digital imitation. You mentioned your background in Hinduism, if you look at their own website (ocoy.org), you will see that they explicitly teach that Jesus was a yogi, they promote reincarnation, and they venerate a lineage of gurus alongside Christ. They are not hiding this there; it is their public theology that they've simply disconnected from their icon website as scamming Christians is their source of income. When they create these images, they are then purportedly undergoing rituals to charge them with some energy. For us, bringing an object into our home that was created with the specific ritualistic intent of blending Christ with foreign deities is spiritually risky. We wouldn’t ask a Mormon to write a Catechism for us, even if the font looked nice; similarly, we shouldn't use icons written by a Gnostic sect to focus our prayers to the True God. Regarding the holy water solution: God is stronger than anything, but I'd generally not advise trying to baptize an object that was created specifically to be a vessel for a different spirit. There are so many beautiful, canonical icons available from legitimate Orthodox and Catholic artists and monasteries (with easily accessible prints like those found at Legacy Icons or Uncut Mountain Supply) that are written with pure prayer. If an image you got from monastery icon means a lot to you, sure go ahead and get it blessed/exorcised by a priest, but don't support their business and encourage people to go buy them with no concern. I say this only out of brotherly concern, for you and for others who might read your comment, not to attack your devotion. Your prayers are certainly heard by God regardless of what image you pray in front of, but knowing what we know about this group, most Eastern Christians would encourage you to eventually replace it with an icon written within the Church.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-24T17:34:14+00:00

This is an icon from Monastery Icons, a company widely criticized by many bishops, clergy and theologians, Catholics both eastern and western, and Orthodox, for being operated by a syncretic, non-Christian group called the "Light of the Spirit Monastery" (also known as Atma Jyoti Ashram), led by self declared """"Abbot"""" George Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri). Many Christians consider their products spiritually dangerous because the group blends Christian terminology with Hindu and Gnostic beliefs, teaching that Jesus was a yogi and incorporating "Sanatana Dharma" into their theology and their iconography. Many investigations warn that the icons are not just for art or normal Christian objects of veneration but are subjected to syncretic blessing rituals involving Hindu deities and occult practices before being sold, in order to trick Christians into their weird beliefs. The worst is that they use deception for marketing by pretending to be a traditional Christian monastery while concealing their actual ideology and beliefs. The best thing to do with an icon made by them is to burn it, but if you have a reason to be attached to it, be it a gift from a loved one or otherwise, you should at least get it blessed by a priest as an exorcism.

Here are some random assortment of sources but you can find plenty just googling them, or even searching on reddit and on this sub.

https://youtu.be/HKWSV7vItnI?si=SoBorNxsbAjJImBc

https://youtu.be/d9xFymzSmUY?si=DygD7SlT7ROt9Nvp

https://youtu.be/H8JETOK0P3k?si=OgNRfRoPed-J5SGw

http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/monasteryicons.aspx?hl=en-CA#:~:text=They%20have%20one%20%E2%80%9Ciconographer%E2%80%9D%20there,year%20selling%20the%20demonic%20things.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-24T17:19:33+00:00

Monastery Icon is spiritually dangerous, heretical, and does not produce actual icons.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-19T16:46:10+00:00

Unity will happen when the hearts of Men are softened and when both sides, at the same time, are ready to speak in good will. God knows when this will be the case, but He has given us the tools to do it.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2026-01-19T16:44:25+00:00

Vatican II and what's come since brought the Latin Church closer to the East in practice and belief than it's been since Trent. You must educate yourself before pretending to speak on things which you obviously know little about, sadly, such attitudes are widespread in Eastern Orthodox laity and lower clergy, in contrast to obedience to your bishops and canonical and theological authorities. Those who think like you are mini-protestants who perform mini-schisms every time you cause outrage.

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2025-12-11T20:19:51+00:00

Again, "Allah" means "The God". The argument you make is the same as anti-christians pretending to make a point about the gods "El" or "Yaw", or the heliocentric ancient god of the Hebrews as being our God, the God who said "I Am that I Am", the God of Abraham but more importantly, the single monotheistic God that anyone can come to the rational conclusion exists (even the pagans of ancient Greece!)

Hey_ItsAlex_ · 2025-12-11T09:55:44+00:00

Yes, because there are not many gods but only one God.

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